


Finding My Inspiration

by Frejennix, Lalijinx



Series: The Other Side of the Mirror [4]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Light/Dark Sides Switch, Characters Being Unknowingly Mean, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders Has ADHD, Executive Dysfunction, Gen, Healthy Coping Mechanisms, Thomas Sanders has ADHD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25056796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frejennix/pseuds/Frejennix, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lalijinx/pseuds/Lalijinx
Summary: The Core sides help Thomas with a project, and Logic gets his first taste of acceptance.(Episode 4, Arc 1)
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Thomas Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Thomas Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Thomas Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders & Thomas Sanders, Thomas Sanders & The Sides
Series: The Other Side of the Mirror [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1794676
Comments: 26
Kudos: 138





	Finding My Inspiration

“Guys?!” Thomas wrung his hands together as he summoned his core sides. “Janus, Instinct, Hero? I could use your help!”

“What’s up, Thomas?” 

Thomas paced across the room, eyes skipping back and forth over his sides and the room, never quite settling on any one point or person. “I just got this huge assignment at work-”

“We know. We  _ are _ a part of you.” Janus said, but Thomas was far too worked up to pay attention to him.

“And somehow  _ I  _ got assigned to be the team leader-”

“We know, dumbass. We’re a part of you.” Instinct said. Thomas ignored him too.

“And now I have to run a meeting on Monday to talk about my brilliant idea which I do not have right now-”

“Hey, I resent that. You have many brilliant ideas, courtesy of  _ moi _ . Also we  _ know _ .”

“It’s for a really important client, and I have no idea why they gave it to me of all people-”

“WE KNOW!”

“And I have got  _ nothing _ !” Thomas finished, slightly out of breath. Instinct did a double-take.

“Wait. Nothing at all? How did you manage to-?”

“I don't even know! I managed to bluff my way through work today by focusing on anything that didn't have to do with the creative aspects, but now I need a fully fleshed-out idea by Monday or I am dead in the water.”

“By Monday?” Hero repeated, his voice odd, like it had caught somewhere in his throat. Thomas glanced over at Hero’s tone, but Janus drew his attention back.

“Don't worry Thomas, we’ll help you.” Janus said confidently. “We’ll all help you.”

Thomas smiled with relief. “Thanks guys, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

They settled down in the living room; Instinct perched on the back of the couch in a way that couldn’t possibly be comfortable, with Janus taking his usual armchair. Thomas flipped open a notepad, scrounging around for a pen. 

Hero didn’t actually sit, continuing to stand in front of them, fidgeting. “Okay, brilliant ideas coming up, Thomathy!” Hero gestured grandly, though Thomas had half a thought that it looked off. But before he could voice a question, Hero was talking. 

Thomas didn't really know how to describe what happened next. One minute he was listening to Hero, caught up in the fantastical ideas that he was describing so vividly…

And then Janus said, “Hero, you’ve gotten off topic.”

“Oh.” Hero said, stalling in the middle of his sentence, looking off balance. “Sorry.” he fidgeted, running his hands through his windswept hair and forcing a smile on his face. “L-Lemme think on this for a bit, and then I'll have better ideas!”

“That works!” Thomas said, missing the look that Janus and Instinct shared. “Lemme know when you’re ready for me.”

Hero smiled tightly, giving him a thumbs up as he stared down at his own conjured notepad.

That...was five hours ago. And they still had nothing.

“Hero. We need to stay on task.” Janus said, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly.

“But staying on task is so hard! I have so many great ideas, but they're not quite right yet!”

“But Thomas needs you to have  _ workable  _ ideas. Ideas that he can  _ use _ . And he needs them  _ now _ .”

“I’m trying!”

“Are you?” Janus snapped.

“I...yes of course I am.” Hero said, his voice small and hurt. “I just...I don't know how to make myself do it. I’m sorry.”

“Hey...it's okay Hero. We’ll make it happen.” Instinct said, aiming a light punch at Hero’s shoulder. 

“Why don't we take a break?” Thomas said with a sigh, “Come back at this with fresh eyes tomorrow.”

“That...is probably a good idea Thomas.” Janus said, heaving a sigh, tilting his head back for a moment and rubbing both hands over his face tiredly. 

“Yeah, good idea Thomas.” Hero said, sweeping all of his mess into one uncoordinated pile. “See you tomorrow.”

“Hero-” Instinct said, but Hero had already vanished between one blink and the next.

“What was that about?” Thomas asked.

“It’s fine Thomas, he’ll get over it.” Janus said dismissively, stretching. “I’ll make sure he understands what’s at stake here. He’ll be much more on task tomorrow.”

“Wait, Janus-!” Thomas said, and made a frustrated sound when Janus disappeared too. “What is  _ with  _ those two?”

“Oh, this song and dance has been going on for a while, Thomas.” Instinct said, conjuring a rubber ball to toss into the air, a smooth circle of catch, switch hands, toss again. “And not to mince words here, but the addition of you to this little clusterfuck is only going to make things more explosive.”

“What do you mean,  _ explosive _ ?” Thomas asked warily.

“This happens every time a deadline is sprung on Hero. He’ll churn out ideas faster than you can process them when there’s nothing on the horizon, but when there’s a hard and fast finish line? He clams up. Freaks out. Distracts himself constantly and makes Janus ride hard on him every step of the way.” 

Instinct shrugged, catching the ball and passing it lightning quick between two hands for a moment. “I’ve  _ tried  _ to explain to him that his problems with Janus would go away if he just tried to trick himself, like pretend the deadline is closer than it is or something, but he doesn't listen to me about that shit. And then I'm left to deal with the aftermath of this fight, and I am  _ not  _ equipped for that shit either.”

“What aftermath?”

“Janus will get all disappointed, and Hero becomes this little porcupine of sass and anger, lashing out at anyone who tries to help. Usually it all comes to a head after the screaming match, and then the work gets done. Then the cycle repeats itself when the next deadline comes up.” 

He started his catch and throw routine again. “But now you’re a part of this too, and that…” he whistled lowly. “Hoo, that’s going to ratchet everything up a few notches, cause Janus will be much more disappointed in Hero if he still does this shit in front of you.”

He got to his feet. “I better get back and make sure they don't talk to each other until tomorrow. They need time to cool the fuck down.” He shot Thomas a sympathetic but resigned look.

“Don't hold out hope for the rest of your weekend, Sanders.” he said, pocketing his ball. “This cycle is pretty much set in stone. I don't think that anything or anyone can change it.” 

Thomas blinked, an idea forming in his head as Instinct vanished from his sight.

Maybe...maybe there  _ was  _ someone who could help.

* * *

“Janus?” Thomas said the next morning, as they all took up roughly the same positions as the night before. “I have an idea I want to try for today.”

“Yes, Thomas, what is it?”

“I…” He swallowed, gathering his convictions and his courage. “I want to summon Logic.” He blurted out.

“What.” Janus said flatly. 

“Nothing’s working, and we’re running out of time. I think we need some extra brain power. Plus, I don’t think a little logic would be such a bad thing here, do you?” 

“Who’s Logic?” Hero asked, his eyes wide. “Did you meet one of the Others, Thomas?”

“Why didn't you tell us?” Instinct asked sharply, looking at Janus.

“I had not anticipated it coming up again.” Janus said, and there was a sharp, disappointed edge to his voice that cut Thomas deeper than he'd like to admit. “Yes, Thomas made...contact with one of the Others. His ‘intellectual side’.” Janus even went so far as to actually do the air quotes. “Without telling me.”

“If you had told me about them, we wouldn't have had this issue.” Thomas muttered under his breath.

“If you had been honest with me about your concerns-”

“Oh, that is  _ rich  _ coming from someone who didn't tell me about  _ whole facets of my personality _ -”

“Hey!” Hero said, getting their attention with a loud slap on the table, pouting. “Inane childish bickering is  _ our  _ bonding ritual.” He indicated himself and Instinct. “Get your own thing.”

“I don't know, Thomas.” Instinct said, his eyes flicking between Janus and Thomas. “If Janus doesn't think this is a good idea, maybe you should listen to him.”

“Do you know Logic?”

“Not really. He manifested around the time you started going to school, same as me. But…”

“But he did not have much time in our mindscape before he was...banished, for lack of a better word.”

“Hero? Have you met him before?”

“No. I came around...later. They were already gone by then.” Hero said, glancing at Janus before looking back at Thomas. “What’s he like?”

“He’s…” Thomas searched for the proper adjective, before deciding on, “Quirky.”

“That’s usually what people say when they want to say weird as hell.” Instinct drawled. Hero perked up.

“Those are the best kind of people. I vote yes on Logic.” Hero said, raising his hand high into the air.

“This is not a democracy.” Janus said sharply, and Hero flinched, his hand dropping back to his side quickly. 

“You just want another distraction.” Instinct added, and Hero flinched again, rubbing his hands on his thighs.

“Hey.” Thomas said firmly. “Leave him alone, don't take out your anger on him when you want to yell at me.” He stared both Janus and Instinct down. “I might be in charge, technically, but I value all of your opinions. But I think he could help us, help Hero, too. Unless you guys want to keep banging our heads together all weekend?”

“No.” Hero said quietly. Instinct shrugged. Thomas looked to Janus, who was still scowling.

“If it doesn't work, we can just send him away again, right? What’s the worst that can happen?”

Janus looked away.

“...I suppose there isn't anything I can do to change your mind at the moment.” He said at last. “If you think it will help, Thomas, then by all means. Summon  _ Logic _ .” Janus said, with all the warmth that he would use to tell Thomas to take a long walk off a short pier.

Thomas tried not to let that sting too much.

Thomas closed his eyes, bracing himself for the same pain as before, filling his mind’s eye with the image of Logic. “Logic?”

There was no tug, no sharp bite of pain in his chest this time. There was only a cool, invigorating sensation, like drinking fresh water after chewing wintergreen gum, burning and bracing in a way that was easy to get used to.

“Whoa.” Instinct said, hushed.

Thomas opened his eyes, and immediately rolled them. 

“Hero.” he sighed. “He only just got here, do you have to-”

“Absolutely I have to!” Hero said, circling Logic like a hawk, poking and prodding at him enthusiastically. “Your eyes are super cool, did you know that? I wish I had glowing eyes. How come I don't have glowing eyes, Thomas? Don't you love me enough to give me glowing eyes?”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Thomas said, mostly to appease Hero who had already moved on to another topic. “How are you, Logic?”

“I am...well enough, Thomas. However, I am most perplexed as to why I was summoned. I had assumed after our last interaction that I would have no further contact with you.”

“Why would you think that?” Thomas asked. “You didn't do anything wrong.”

Logic’s eyes drifted over to Janus, who was sitting in the armchair, his pose deceptively relaxed for how hard his eyes were trained on Logic.

“ _ Thomas _ requested your presence.” Janus said, his words biting. “ _ He _ seems to think that you are capable of helping him with his problem. And I  _ sincerely  _ hope that is the case.”

Logic seemed unconcerned with the barely veiled threat in Janus’s voice, turning to focus his attention solely on Thomas.

“In that case, what can I do for you, Thomas?”

Thomas quickly explained the situation, showing Logic the bare outline of an idea he had, as well as the list of requirements he had created. Logic read with incredible speed, the lights in his eyes spinning faster than Thomas's eyes could track.

“Hero, can you show Logic your notes?” Thomas asked.

“I...no.” Hero said, ducking his head as he hid his notepad from view. “I, um...this is all just doodles. I didn't take any notes yesterday.”

“Really?” Janus muttered, exasperated. He looked like he wanted to pinch the bridge of his nose once more, but was unwilling to take his eyes off of Logic to do so.

“It helps me think!” Hero said indignantly, but his protest was half hearted, at best. “Sorry, Thomas.”

Logic held out his hand. “May I see?”

“See what?”

“May I see your illustrations?” Logic said, his hand still held out, patiently waiting.

“I...sure?” Hero said, handing over his notepad with only mild reluctance. 

Thomas’s eyes went wide. The entire page was covered in pen, scribbled and shaded and staining all the way to the edges of the pad. Thomas could see where Hero had spent more time on particular drawings, like the incredibly detailed sketch of a tiny human heart in the bottom corner, and the frankly disturbing lovecraftian horror oozing across the bottom, all tentacles and eyes. 

But in between the sketches were tiny cartoon aliens, each with their own distinct personalities, doing random things like flying spaceships around the drawings and leaving little bouncy...somethings across the page. Every other blank space was filled with swirling geometric patterns, making the whole page a dizzying thing to look at.

“Wow, Hero. You’re really good at drawing.” Thomas said, impressed. “How come I'm not this good at drawing?”

“Cause I’ve spent the last twenty years practicing in the mindscape.” Hero said. “If you practice drawing stuff other than yin-yang symbols and little houses on the corners of your notes, then we can talk.” 

“Hero, could you show me where you started on this page, and explain your thought process?” Logic asked, placing the pad in the middle of the table where it could be seen by all.

“Is this really necessary?” Janus asked, annoyed and sharp. “They're just doodles.” Logic narrowed his eyes at him.

“I was not asking for your opinion, Self-Preservation.” He said, which made Janus visibly bristle in his chair. He was ignored. “Hero?”

That seemed to be all the encouragement Hero needed as he began talking, lightning fast and tripping over his words, getting more excited as Logic took the time to ask follow up questions about his drawings, about what he was thinking, about why he used this particular style or drew moving in that particular direction.

It was enthralling to watch. Well, Thomas thought so anyway.

His core sides, on the other hand...

Thomas could see the exact moment that Hero realized that he had lost Janus and Instinct’s attention. He deflated, like a sail that had lost all of its wind. His eyes darted between the two of them, and he started picking at the couch cushion, the flow of his words cut off abruptly. 

“Hero?”

“Hmm?”

“Why’d you stop talking?” Thomas asked kindly. Hero shrugged, his eyes flickering to his fellow core sides again, so fast Thomas would have missed it entirely if he hadn't been watching for it.

“I'm just rambling again, Tomtom. ” he said with artificial brightness. “I stopped saying anything important a while ago.”

Thomas waited for one of his core sides to interject, to refute that, to assure Hero that he wasn’t-

“Falsehood.”

Huh?

That wasn’t Instinct or Janus...

“You are utilizing a brainstorming technique known as stream of consciousness.” Logic said, adjusting his glasses as he pinned Hero with his luminous gaze. “It is important when working with this technique to not dismiss any thoughts right away, as any one of them might lead us to the final product.” He turned his notepad around, showing the huge amount of notes he had been taking, his writing tiny and typewriter perfect. “Keep going.”

“But I…”

“You are doing very well, Hero.” Logic said, and Thomas couldn't possibly have missed the way that Hero’s eyes went wide and shiny at the praise. “You were saying?”

It took Hero a little bit of time to gain his momentum back, but Thomas and Logic were patient and encouraging, and soon he was chattering enthusiastically once more, jumping from topic to topic almost faster than Thomas could process, but Logic seemed unperturbed, his hand never slowing in his writing. He never once asked Hero to slow down. He only encouraged Hero with quiet nods, letting Thomas speak for both of them. 

“Is that...enough?” Hero rasped, looking between Logic and Thomas after nearly an hour and a half of continuous talking. “Did I do good?”

“It is more than enough, Hero, well done.” Logic stated, finishing his notes with a barely noticeable flourish. He rotated his wrist, a mechanical little twirl, and made a bottle of water appear in Hero’s hand. “Now we compile.” 

He snapped his fingers, and suddenly everyone had a copy of the notes Logic had taken. Instinct grumbled when the noise and the sensation of pages falling into his lap woke him from his doze. Janus looked down at his own copy with obvious distrust.

“Compile what?” Thomas asked, only half paying attention as he scanned the notes, listening to Hero guzzle the water loudly. There were...many pages of notes, Thomas noticed, flipping through the pages. Logic had grouped several things unders subheaders, organizing Hero’s stream of consciousness into workable categories.

“Compile Hero’s ideas into a presentable format. You have many categories to choose from, Thomas, and I am certain that Hero will be able to expand upon any of the ideas he has already talked about.”

“Putting a lot of faith in him, aren't you?” Instinct grumbled, stretching loudly across the couch. Hero, who had been staring wide-eyed at his own notes, flinched, just a little, at the jab.

“I do not ‘put faith’ in him.” Logic said primly, leveling an unimpressed stare at Instinct. “I have observed that Hero has the capacity for incredible intuitive leaps, when he is not being chastised for not waiting for  _ you  _ to catch up, especially when  _ you  _ refuse to pay attention to him.” 

“Watch yourself, Logic.” Janus growled, while Instinct tensed on the couch. “Your presence here is a privilege, not a right.”

“Conditional to  _ what _ ?” Logic countered. “I have not violated the rules you have previously put in place, Self-Preservation. I have not negatively influenced Thomas, I have answered all of his questions honestly. There are no rules stipulating that I must be polite to the rest of you as well.”

“I LIKE THIS IDEA!” Thomas interrupted loudly, seeing the anger on Janus’s face and hoping to avoid a fight. He pointed to a random category in the notes, only looking down at what he had pointed at when both sides turned their attention to him. “Aliens.”

“Ugh, do you  _ ever  _ think of anything else, Hero?” Instinct groaned, flopping back. 

“Sometimes I think about pirates.” Hero said, but his comeback was faint. He was staring at Logic like he desperately wanted to take him apart and see how he worked, part hero worship and part pure scientific curiosity. 

“What about this category interests you, Thomas?”

“I…” The seeds of an idea were starting to form in his head. “It could be like a story, like one of those ads that are split into several different parts? Where you have to have all of the pieces to get a full story.”

“Interesting.” Logic said, making a note of this. “Hero, does what Thomas is describing sound like something you can extrapolate on?”

“Uh...Yeah!” he flipped through his own notes, a sparkling green gel pen appearing in his hand. “Didn't I say something about, like, a tragic backstory type thing? We could totally work that in somewhere...”

“Page four.”

“Oh!” He flipped to the correct page, circling something. “Yeah, it could be like a last ditch mission from the home planet to make contact with people with something from this planet, and that thing is the product!” He waved a careless hand in the air. “It can be like, cute too, to make up for all of the angst I’m about to dump on this backstory.”

“It’d have to be super cute if you make it angsty.” Thomas said, trying to stay serious and on task even as he started getting excited. “How would we even balance that-”

“That is not your problem right now, Thomas.” Logic said. “That is not the purpose of this proposal. Your objective is simply to bring ideas to your team, and see what they make of it.” He quickly plotted out a simple storyboard grid on the back of his note packet. “Keep going, Hero. What is the overall plot of the ad campaign?”

“Okay, so first you have one ad that has the cute little aliens being all sad because they clearly don't have whatever shit Thomas is trying to sell…”

* * *

Logic was a  _ wizard _ . 

It was the only rational explanation for why Thomas currently had a full fledged proposal in his hands, ready to distribute on Monday, and yet it was still  _ Saturday _ .

Well, in that way that Saturday didn't turn into Sunday until he went to sleep. He was pretty sure it was technically Sunday, but it didn't matter.

He was  _ done _ .

“I can't believe I'm actually going to get to relax tomorrow.” Thomas said, watching as his printer spewed out collated copies of his proposal. “I can't believe I'm printing stuff  _ before  _ five minutes before I leave for work.”

“You should stop doing that.” Logic commented, collecting the various note packets, scribbled over in blue, black, and sparkly green ink.

“Because the printer can smell fear?” Hero asked from his spot lying flopped across the floor, trying unsuccessfully to throw popcorn kernels into a sleeping Instinct’s open mouth.

“What? No. What?” Logic said, baffled.“The printer is not equipped with olfactory sensors of any kind, and even if it did, you cannot smell fear.”

Thomas chuckled. Logic was  _ funny _ , and his humor was only magnified by the fact that Thomas was pretty sure he didn't even know he was funny.

“Yes you can!” Hero said, scrambling into a sitting position, his face lighting up like a miniature sun. “I actually did an experiment about that! There’s a pheromone that comes out when you fear-sweat that isn't there when you’re just like, exercising or something.”

“Fascinating. What experiment led you to these conclusions?” Logic asked, leaning forward slightly, which was all the opening Hero needed to launch into animated retelling.

“Okay, so first what I did was I made this crazy space monster that had the most  _ enormous  _ nose, really jacked up the scent glands on that thing, and then I-”

“Thomas.” Janus interrupted, and Hero snapped his mouth shut. “If you have completed everything for Monday, then don't you think it’s time for Logic to go? I am sure he has plenty of tasks that he should be attending to.” Janus said pointedly.

“Do you?” Thomas asked, feeling a bit sheepish. He hadn’t stopped to consider what he was interrupting when he called on his sides. Did they have their own routines and things that they did when they weren’t with him? “I’m sorry if I took you from anything important-”

“You did not.” Logic assured him. “Assisting you takes precedence over any of our other functions, as Self-Preservation knows all too well.”

“We were lucky you came to help us. We couldn't have done this without you.”

“Well, we  _ could  _ have, but it would have sucked ass.” Hero admitted, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. “Thank you for helping me. Us. Thomas.”

“I… You are welcome, of course.” Logic smiled, more than the little lip quirks that Thomas had seen in the past. It was by far the most positive emotional response Thomas had ever seen from him. He might even be faintly blushing, although that might just be the light. “My objective has always been to be beneficial and productive. I apologize if that was not made clear before.” 

“Well, it's certainly clear now.” Thomas said insistently, looking pointedly at his core sides. “Isn't it, guys?”

“Totally!”

“Yeah, sure. He’s gifted at Hero-wrangling.” Instinct mumbled, rolling on his side and spilling a chestful of popcorn kernels onto the carpet. “Big deal. We would have gotten it eventually.”

“Who is this ‘ _ we _ ’, Fight Club?” Hero said, grabbing a nearby pillow and smacking Instinct repeatedly with it, who squawked in protest. “You. Didn't. Do. ANYTHING!”

“Lay off!” Instinct spluttered, snatching the pillow from Hero and pouncing on the younger side, playfully attempting to smother him with it. “Not my fault. I’m usually just here to keep you and Janus from killing each other.”

Janus scoffed lightly at that, but said nothing. Hero scowled at Instinct, still holding the pillow. “Listen-”

Instinct shrugged and cut him off. “Just calling like I see it, Wonderboy.” Hero grabbed the pillow from Instinct’s lax grip and whacked him in the head. Instinct let himself fall, sprawling lazily on the carpet. 

“Well, I’m glad this time we were able to smooth the process out.” Thomas smiled, stopping the argument before it could continue, and glancing over at the side responsible. Logic inclined his head with that tiny quirk of his lips. Thomas felt his own smile grow just a bit more at the expression. 

“If that is all you required of me, I will take my leave.” Logic said, getting to his feet. “Feel free to call upon me anytime, Thomas.”

“I will.” Thomas said. “Thank you, Logic.”

Logic nodded, adjusted his glasses once, and sank out of Thomas's living room.

“So. You plan to call on him again.” Janus said, startling Thomas. He had remained near silent for the past few hours, glowering from the armchair and keeping Logic in his eyeline the entire time.

“Oh, come on, Janus. Even you have to admit that he was super helpful.” Thomas crossed his arms. “I really just don't understand what your problem is.”

“He’s not a core side. That is more than enough of a problem.”

“He had plenty of opportunities to sabotage things today, and he didn't. He was helpful, and until I see evidence of this ‘darkness’ you were talking about, I say he gets to stay, just as much as any of you. Okay?”

Janus’s expression didn’t change as he let his silence sit before speaking. “Well Thomas, if there isn’t anything else you needed to discuss for tonight, I believe I will turn in.” Janus said, getting to his feet with an air of finality. “Instinct, Hero?”

“Yeah, I'm coming.” Instinct slowly rolled to his feet, stretching sluggishly. 

Hero bit his lip. “I’ll...I’ll be right behind you guys.”

“Is everything alright?”

“Yeah. I just wanna talk to Thomas for a second.” Hero said, his voice small as he looked up at Janus. “That's okay, right?”

“Of course.” Janus’s voice was so soft and gentle, and oh wow, Janus had spent so much effort being prickly that Thomas had almost forgotten how  _ warm  _ he could be. “Until next time, Thomas.” Janus said, while Instinct merely saluted sleepily, and then they were gone.

Thomas turned to Hero. “What did you want to talk about?”

Hero shrugged, his fingers tapping rapidly against the table. “I...just wanted to be here for a little while longer.”

“Okay.” Thomas said, picking up the popcorn bowls and the empty pizza box. “Don't stay too long though, Hero. You worked really hard, and you should get some rest.”

“Yeah.” Hero said, as he started to pick popcorn out of the carpet, putting each kernel in a row on the table. “Don't know if that name really applies to me today.”

“What do you mean?”

“If anyone was the hero today, it was Logic.” Hero started making the kernels swirl in patterns now. “I was all over the place.”

“But that’s okay. We made it work.” Thomas said, his eyes catching on the dejected slump of Hero’s shoulders. “Is something wrong?”

“I don't like how…” He gave up on the popcorn, and just stared at his hands for a moment. “Janus gets frustrated with me. I know he has good reason to, I’m a hot mess most of the time, but it...hurts, sometimes. And then I get defensive and everything just spirals out of control really fast.”

“...Do you want me to try to talk to Janus?” Thomas asked gently, moving to sit next to Hero. “About how you’re feeling?”

“I don't think it would help. He’s pretty resistant to change.” Hero admitted, leaning into Thomas when he put his arm around Hero’s shoulders. “But Logic...Logic really helped today. It was like he knew just how to...manage me.” he glanced up through his bangs for a moment before looking away again. “You were a big help too.”

“Aw, Hero, I’m glad I could-”

“Remus.”

“...Huh?” Thomas said, wondering if he had misheard. “What’d you say?”

“My name is Remus.” Hero - Remus - said, and Thomas could feel how tense Remus got, the line of his shoulders like a block of marble under his arm. 

“Remus?” Thomas repeated, confused. “I thought you wanted me to call you Hero.”

“Not anymore.” Remus said, and there was a note to his voice that made Thomas's heartstrings twinge in sympathy. “Is that okay? I didn't mean to lie to you, I just...I changed my mind, and-”

“Of course it's okay, Remus.” Thomas said, cutting Remus off before he could go into a thought spiral. “I know you weren't lying to me. I think out of all my sides, you’re the one I can always count on to be 100% honest with me.” Remus smiled softly at that, looking down, a faint pink blush staining his cheeks. 

Thomas blinked, a thought suddenly occurring to him.

“Wait. Do you  _ all  _ have names?”

“Yes...?” Remus said, baffled, drawing out the word to four times its usual length. “What, did you think Janus was the only one who got a name?”

“I thought it was because his title was so long.” Thomas admitted, grinning when Remus dissolved into giggles. “What made you want to tell me your name, Remus?”

“I dunno.” Remus shrugged. “You never tried to shut me down today. I appreciated that.”

“Aw, Remus…” Thomas tightened his arm around Remus, pulling him into a sort of half hug, and breathed in a lungful of Remus's smell, smokey and slightly sulfurous, like the aftermath of a really excellent fireworks display. “I'm sorry if I’ve ever done that in the past. I don’t really want any of my sides to feel like I'm not supporting you.” He squeezed Remus tightly. “I would be utterly lost without you, Remus. I hope you know that.”

Remus smiled, nudging Thomas away from him. “You’re pretty great, Sanders.” He said, getting to his feet and wagging a finger in Thomas's face. “Don't let that go to your head.” he warned before he winked, disappearing from view.

Thomas went to sleep with a grin on his face, feeling unburdened and relaxed.

His dreams reflected his feelings, spaceships darting through swirling colors, dashing heroes saving the day with helpful robots, laughter echoing across the cosmos.

He woke with a grin.

**Author's Note:**

> For those of you who are concerned, no one in this series is an asshole at their core. They are just dumb, dumb babies who haven't figured out how to express emotions in healthy ways.
> 
> Next episode in one week. Logic attempts to ride the wave of his newfound acceptance to varying degrees of success.


End file.
